


please give me a hug (and also your heart)

by endboss



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-21
Updated: 2017-07-21
Packaged: 2018-12-04 20:28:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11562741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/endboss/pseuds/endboss
Summary: Baekhyun would've never expected to end the worst day of his life in the arms of a stranger with a 'free hugs'-sign.





	please give me a hug (and also your heart)

_'Don't cry Baekhyun. Don't you dare cry. You're a man, a tough, awesome man._ Baekhyun sniffled quietly, pretending to have a cold as he dejectedly walked back to his apartment.

The day had arguably been the worst day of his entire life, starting in the morning when he woke up late, tripped over his own feet in his hurry and slammed against the wall face first. How could he be so clumsy? What if he had ruined his handsome face?? After frantically checking the mirror he was relieved to notice that there was no scratch on his perfect face, though the throbbing pain wasn't much better either. 

If that wasn't bad enough, on his way to his morning class a particularly strong breeze blew his 20-page-long homework right out of his hands, scattering the papers all over the street where cars drove through the mess, not caring at all.

As expected, his professor yelled at him in front of the whole class which didn't help save his mood at all.

After a frustrating day of classes he headed to his part-time job as a barista in a small café, only to miss his bus by just a few seconds. Baekhyun ran faster than he ever did in his life but he was still late and drenched in sweat, which wasn't the most pleasant feeling really. His boss wasn't too happy either and decided to assign him to cleaning duty, where he spent hours scraping leftover food off of plates.

When it was finally time for him to go home he was starving, but sadly he realised that he left his food at home. Just great.

So Baekhyun walked home, hungry, sweaty, tired and on the verge of crying. It was by far the worst day he had ever experienced and he couldn't wait to come home and bury himself in his bed for the rest of the day. Unfortunately, the walk home would take him at least half an hour. If he walked fast.

After a few moments of walking he noticed how cold it suddenly was. The sweat clinging to his body was cooling down in the chilly air, making him shiver lightly. _'Great’,_ he thought, _'This is exactly what I need. Fuck my life.’_

Baekhyun sped up, deciding to take the shortcut through the most famous shopping district. There would be loads of people but he didn't care, at least he would get home faster.

As he walked through the masses of people he let curses fall from his lips, the negative feelings slowly overwhelming him, but that was when he spotted him. A young male, most likely around the same age, standing in front of an office building with a blinding smile that made dimples appear on his face.

Tied around his neck was a white piece of paper that read 'free hugs' with a bunch of glittery hearts scattered around it.

Halting in his steps Baekhyun watched as the guy happily talked to a few girls after he gave them their hugs. 'He looks so cheerful’, Baekhyun thought, sniffling a few times. 'I’d like a hug too’.

 

Before he could stop himself more tears welled up in his eyes and he dashed forward, surprising a few other people around him. He crashed into the guy with full force, wrapping his arms around the other’s lithe form and burying his head in his chest. Baekhyun started sobbing pathetically, big, fat tears running down his face and wetting the poor guy’s shirt.

If someone asked him about it later Baekhyun would blush in embarrassment and deny that it ever happened. He was a tough man, after all.

„Um. Are you okay? Please don't cry.“, the stranger said, confused. He patted Baekhyun on the back awkwardly, trying his best to comfort him even though he had no idea what was going on.

Baekhyun sobbed unattractively, burying his face deeper into the other man's chest. „I'm not crying. I have...allergies. You know, pollen and stuff. Spring is the worst.“

There was a short pause before the man chuckled, a nice, deep sound that made Baekhyun calm down a bit. „Of course, pollen is nasty during this season.“ The man relaxed a litte, wrapping his arms tightly around Baekhyun and gently swaying them back and forth. He kept murmuring comforting words, not even caring about the fact that the other was drenching his shirt with tears and sweat.

Baekhyun didn't even think about it in that moment, he just let it all out, crying his heart out in the stranger's arms. It took a while before he was able to calm down, his sobbing reduced to quiet sniffles. It felt good and Baekhyun noticed how the weight dropped from his shoulders, his mind finally relaxing.

...Until he realized what the hell he just did. He froze for a second but it didn't last long, the embarrassment caught up with him and his face reddened like a tomato.

Quickly, Baekhyun pushed himself off of the stranger with wide eyes, the man looking back at him in surprise. „I- oh my god, I'm so sorry, this is so embarrassing – I gotta go!“

And with that he ran off, never looking back.

_

Baekhyun felt so embarrassed that he spent the rest of the day hidden under his blanket, thinking about the situation over and over again. That poor stranger, he must've been so weirded out. And not just that, later Baekhyun realized how _freaking handsome_ that man was – and he made a complete fool out of himself in front of him. Great.

_'Well'_ , he thought. _'It did make me forget about the day at least.'_

But the weird feeling didn't disappear, not even the next day. When Baekhyun told his best friends, Chanyeol and Jongdae about it during class the following day, they just laughed at his face. As usual. As if these idiots would ever be capable of giving actual advice.

So he went and pestered Kyungsoo about it, who looked like he was mere seconds from strangling him, but Baekhyun was used to it anyway. „If you're so bothered by it, why don't you just go apologize or something.“, Kyungsoo deadpanned, rolling his eyes just for good measure.

Huh. That wasn't actually such a bad idea. Baekhyun engulfed the younger in a tight hug, proud to have at least one friend who wasn't a complete idiot. „I knew there was a reason why I keep you around. Why didn't I think of that?“

The other just pushed him off, looking mildly disgusted. „Probably because you're dumb. Now please just go and leave me alone.“

And that's just what Baekhyun did, walking to the same place where he met the stranger on the previous day, hoping he would be there again so he could apologize for the mess he made.

It didn't take long before he arrived and to his luck the stranger was there again, the same sign as yesterday hanging around his neck. There seemed to be a permanent smile on his lips as he watched the people around him and occasionally gave hugs to strangers. 

The sight made Baekhyun's heart beat a little faster and he was suddenly a little too nervous for his liking. Still, if he didn't apologize now, he'd feel guilty forever, so he took a deep breath and stepped towards the handsome stranger.

Said man noticed him just a second later, the smile dropping off of his face. _'Fuck',_ Baekhyun thought, _'fuckfuckfuck he hates me, what if he's gonna hit me, I don't wanna die-'_

For a moment he contemplated running away but before he was able to turn around the stranger's smile appeared again and he waved excitedly in Baekhyun's direction. Staring back dumbly Baekhyun halted in his step. Was that wave meant for him?

The stranger's face morphed into a look of confusion before he took the last few steps towards Baekhyun, looking at him bemusedly. „Hi! You're the guy from yesterday right? The pollen guy?“

„I am so awkward.“ It took a moment before Baekhyun realized what he said, slapping his hands against his face. „I didn't mean to say that, I mean yes, that was me. The pollen guy. But I'm pretty awkward too- god, why am I still talking?“ A deep red seeped into his cheeks and he wanted nothing more but to just disappear right there before he screwed up even more.

To his surprise the stranger chuckled, a sweet sound that made him look up from behind his hands and stare at the man in wonder. „You're cute“, the man said, dimples appearing as he smiled widely.

Baekhyun wasn't sure if it was possible to blush even deeper but his cheeks were burning as he just stood there, gaping at the stranger. Did he just call him cute? Is that even possible? Or had Baekhyun died and ascended to heaven?

He cleared his throat, not sure how to react, so he opted to just pretend he didn't hear a thing. „I-I actually came to uh...to apologize? For um, crashing into you and being weird and ruining your shirt? If you want I can buy you a new one or just give you the money but yeah I'm really really sorry?“

Baekhyun mentally punched himself. _'Smooth, you idiot.'_

But once again the stranger just smiled, his eyes crinkling with happiness. „It's okay, you didn't ruin it. I'm glad I could help you. Hug?“ The man opened his arms wide, stepping forward to engulf Baekhyun in a tight hug. If Baekhyun wasn't dead already, this was the moment he died.

Awkwardly, he returned the hug, his heart beating so hard it felt like it would burst out of his chest any minute. In that moment Baekhyun decided that this unknown, but gorgeous man's hugs were his favorite thing in the world.

_

After the hug and more apologies Baekhyun went home, expecting to feel better and just relax now that he settled everything. To his surprise, the weird, uneasy feeling in his chest was still there.

But why? He had apologized and the stranger assured him that it was okay, that he didn't mind at all. So why did he still feel like he wasn't done with that man? Even after hours of thinking about it he couldn't find a solution.

So in his desperate situation he called Kyungsoo, who was the only one who had given him good advice earlier that day.

„This better be really important or I swear I'll break your neck.“, the younger man greeted him, sounding like he was _so done_ with Baekhyun, as always.

„Hello to you too Soo. Remember when I told you about that hot guy who gave free hugs today?“ Baekhyun took the noncommittal grunt as a sign to continue. „Well I went there and apologized to him and he forgave me, but I still feel strange...like I need to see him again, you know?“ 

There were a few seconds of silence and Baekhyun was just about to check if Kyungsoo had hung up when he started speaking again, sounding even more exasperated than before. „Have you considered that maybe you like him or something? Sounds to me like you're crushing on him.“

_'....Since when is Kyungsoo so smart?'_ , Baekhyun thought, surprised by how much sense it made. The stranger was incredibly handsome, sweet and kind-hearted, how could anyone not like him? Suddenly, Baekhyun's heart started to beat faster as he thought about liking that man. Would he even have a chance with him?

„Shit Kyungsoo you're right, what should I do?“, he panicked, pacing around his room nervously. Relationships were never something he was really lucky with, they always ended badly. He rarely falls in love with people, normally everyone falls in love with him! And he didn't even really know that guy yet! Kyungsoo sighed on the other end of the line. „God, Baekhyun, I was just kidding. You've met that guy like twice, don't you think you should get to know him first?“

_'Can Kyungsoo read minds too?'_ , Baekhyun wondered. As always, he was right though, and even if talking to Kyungsoo made him feel stupid he was glad that the younger was his friend. „So what do you suggest?“, he asked.

„If he's at the same place every day just casually pass by, make some small talk, ask him out on a date? Just please don't call me anymore, you idiot.“

-

The next day Baekhyun woke up early in the morning, taking a shower and flirting with his reflection in front of the mirror. (He needed to boost his confidence somehow, don't judge)

He spent a good amount of time picking a nice outfit and styling his hair, even putting on a little makeup that would hopefully impress the stranger. It was the first time he tried so hard to make someone like him, it almost scared him a little. What if the guy disliked him? Or what if he was actually a total asshole?

Shaking his head, Baekhyun rid himself of those thoughts and stepped out of his apartment. It was time to impress him.

It didn't take long until he arrived at the place and to his luck, he could see the stranger standing at the same spot, the same sign hanging from his neck. Baekhyun halted in his steps. Now that he was there, he actually had no idea what to say to the man. _'Hey, I think you're hot and you make my heart feel funny things but I don't even know you please go out with me?'_

Baekhyun laughed to himself. Why was he so bad at this? He usually wasn't shy at all and talking to strangers had never been a problem, but this handsome man made his stomach hurt from how nervous he felt. He paused. _'That could work...?'_

Taking a deep breath Baekhyun walked towards the man, trying to look casual, as if he was just passing by. (Which meant he probably looked like a total idiot.) As he neared the man he looked up in fake surprise which caught the other's attention. „Hi!“, Baekhyun greeted him, only to cringe at himself when his voice came out too loud and made the handsome man flinch. _'Smooth, Baekhyun. Real smooth.'_

He cleared his throat awkwardly, shuffling around on his feet. „What a surprise to see you here again. Are you giving out free hugs every day?“ He smiled cutely, feeling his heart jump when the stranger smiled back at him, dimples appearing at the corner of his lips.

The man nodded excitedly, eyes crinkling in happiness. „Yes, I love giving out hugs to strangers everyday. It makes me happy knowing I can cheer people up with something so simple. Just like you when you were crying!“, he said, still smiling happily.

Baekhyun, on the other hand, blushed a deep red at being reminded of his embarrassing day. „Yeah well...today I feel a little better but my stomach hurts. Can I get a hug to make me feel better?“, he grinned, trying to look confident even though the butterflies couldn't keep still in his gut.

The man's smile widened, his face lighting up in a way that took Baekhyun's breath away. He looked so, so beautiful and Baekhyun could feel the way he was falling deeply for the stranger. Stepping forward, the man engulfed Baekhyun in another strong hug, wrapping his arms around him in a way that made Baekhyun feel warm and complete.

He could feel the nervous feeling in his stomach disappear and instead Baekhyun felt light, as if he floated on clouds. Wrapping his arms around the stranger as well he briefly returned the hug, letting go after a few seconds so it wouldn't seem too weird.

He smiled, his body still warm from the other's touch. „Thanks, I feel better now.“

And as the stranger smiled sweetly back at him, Baekhyun knew that he was so, so screwed.

-

It continued like this for two weeks and with every sweet smile and warm hug Baekhyun fell a little harder for the man. He didn't know for how long he could keep this up until his heart would burst out of his chest, but he didn't know what to do about it either.

Baekhyun walked into the cafeteria, dragging his feet towards the table his friends sat at. When he arrived he slumped into the free seat next to Jongdae, gaining curious looks from the others.

„What's up with you?“, Chanyeol asked, mouth full with food. Kyungsoo shot him a disgusted glare which the taller just ignored, as always.

Sighing dramatically, Baekhyun buried his face in his arms. He knew very well that they would just laugh at him again if he told them. God, why was he friends with such useless people? Kyungsoo huffed, already sounding way too annoyed so early in the morning. „I bet it's about that dude he hugged. I can't believe you're serious about him.“

He shook his head in disbelief, Jongdae's eyes lighting up opposite of him. „You mean that guy who comforted Baekhyun when he was being a baby?“ Baekhyun whined in shame next to him. „So you really fell in love with him? So quickly?“

Baekhyun finally raised his head, looking at Jongdae with a sad expression. „It's not my fault. He's so handsome and kindhearted...if you saw him you'd fall for him too“, he whispered, letting his head drop on the table once more.

„You're such an idiot“, Kyungsoo muttered, reaching over the table to lightly smack his head. Baekhyun whined again, looking up to pout at the younger. „Why do you always hurt me like this? So mean.“

Chanyeol snorted, giving Baekhyun an amused look. „Why don't you go to your Prince Charming and get a hug to ease the pain?“, he laughed, only to freeze when Baekhyun actually seemed to contemplate it. „Dude I wasn't serious, you shouldn't-“

Before he could finish his sentence Baekhyun shot up, running out of the cafeteria with an excited look on his face.

At the table, the three friends sighed exasperatedly. Jongdae shook his head. „He's really fucked.“

-

„Hi! Back again?“, the stranger greeted him, not even surprised that Baekhyun appeared again. As always, there was this sweet smile on his lips that made Baekhyun's heart beat faster. The man's windswept hair fell into his eyes and Baekhyun had to resist the urge to reach forward and move the strands out of the way.

„Hello? You okay?“, the man asked. He tilted his head cutely, seemingly worried, and Baekhyun could swear his cheeks were on fire. „Uh- sorry, yeah. My friend hit my head today, guess it really did some damage“, he laughed awkwardly, hoping it would make the man laugh.

It seemed to have the opposite effect though. The stranger's eyes widened and he looked at him in shock, quickly stepping forward and putting his hand on Baekhyun's head. „Where did your friend hit you?“, he asked, frantically.

„Uh...“, was all Baekhyun could get out, completely frozen. _'His hand is in my hair his hand is in my hair his hand is in my hair-'_

The man came even closer, standing on his tip-toes to inspect Baekhyun's head. His hand ran through his hair, carefully lifting the strands to check for any damage. „How can you call that person your friend when they hit you? That's not very nice“, he muttered, sounding genuinely sad.

Baekhyun, on the other hand, felt like he was melting. His entire body was on fire and he couldn't tear his eyes away from the stranger's face that was _too damn close he could just lean forward and kiss him-_

Squeaking, Baekhyun quickly pushed the man off, taking a step back to get more space in between them. His heart threatened to burst out of his chest and he couldn't look at the other, feeling too embarrassed and too shy. _'What are you doing to me?'_ , he thought, trying desperately to calm his emotions.

„I-I'm okay! He didn't hit me that hard...“, he murmured, rubbing his neck nervously. If Baekhyun had looked up in that moment he would've seen the fond look on the stranger's face, but his eyes stayed glued to the ground.

„I see, I'm glad“, the man said, the smile evident in his voice. „But still, let me give you a hug – to make it heal faster“, he added, winking at Baekhyun when he glanced at him. Before Baekhyun could protest he once again stepped forward, wrapping him into a hug that seemed even more intimate than the last.

And once again, it caused Baekhyun to freeze on the spot, emotions going haywire. But as if the stranger put a spell on him he relaxed quickly, melting into the embrace he slowly got used to. Warmth spread through his body and he sighed in happiness, closing his eyes with a smile on his lips.

Sadly, as quickly as it began, the hug ended and the stranger pulled away. Baekhyun wanted nothing more but to pull him back and hug him forever, but he knew he couldn't so he regretfully stepped back as well. 

„Until next time!“, the stranger laughed, waving Baekhyun goodbye enthusiastically.

Hope surged through his body as he walked home. _'Maybe I have chance. Maybe I can make you mine.'_

 

 

-

 

Unfortunately, with every high, there is a low. And Baekhyun got to experience that just a day later. It became such a habit, to take the detour to see the stranger, just to get that hug and (hopefully) get to know him better. _'I should really ask for his name'_ , he thought, embarrassed that he still didn't know

He made a promise to himself to ask the man, but that was quickly shattered when he arrived at the spot, only to see that the stranger wasn't there.

Baekhyun stopped in his tracks, staring at the empty spot. _'Strange'_ , he thought, checking the time on his phone. _'He's always here around this time?'_

Shrugging his shoulders, Baekhyun still went over to the usual spot, figuring that maybe the man was busy and would arrive later. But even after half an hour there was no sight of him. Running a hand through his hair Baekhyun impatiently looked around at all the people that passed him. _'What am I even doing here, waiting for him? I'm such a creep...'_

He slapped his forehead, already feeling embarrassed and the stranger wasn't even there!

„...Baekhyun?“, he heard someone say behind him, and he turned around to see Jongdae, who stared at him in confusion. „What the hell are you doing here?“

Baekhyun felt his cheeks burn. Jongdae caught him, great. „If I told you you'd make fun of me“, he grumbled, already regretting saying that when a wide grin appeared on Jongdae's face. „Don't tell me it has something to do with your loverboy“, he said, cackling when Baekhyun glared at him.

The glare didn't last long though and instead Baekhyun's expression turned into that of a kicked puppy. It made Jongdae stop laughing and he actually looked a little worried (if that was even possible, Jongdae was usually a huge piece of shit).

„What's wrong?“, he asked, concerned. Baekhyun sighed, feeling immensely stupid. Why was he acting like a lovesick teenage girl?

„Nothing...he just didn't come today...yet. I don't know. This is the first time he isn't here“, he murmured, waiting for Jongdae to laugh at him again. Surprisingly, he didn't. Instead he walked next to Baekhyun, putting his arm around his friend's shoulder. „I'm not busy right now. Wanna get something to eat and talk about it?“ Baekhyun nodded quickly, letting Jongdae pull him into a café nearby.

It didn't take long for them to get seated with hot chocolate and cake in front of them and Jongdae smiled from across him. „We can see the spot from here incase he appears. What's his name actually?“, he asked, taking a sip from his hot chocolate.

Baekhyun spluttered, his face heating up. „Uh...well. You know...“, he stammered as he tried to find an excuse. It was too late though and Jongdae burst out laughing, almost crying of laughter. „You're telling me you don't even know his name?“, he said, chuckling in between words. „Oh my god Baekhyun, you're unbelievable!“

Rolling his eyes, Baekhyun rested his chin on his hand. „Yeah yeah, I know, this is soo funny to you guys. I get it“, he grumbled, feeling annoyed.

Jongdae tried to calm down, wiping his eyes while still chuckling. „Sorry, I couldn't help myself“, he said, shaking his head slightly. His expression turned more serious afterwards and he looked at Baekhyun firmly. „But seriously though, you know we're really happy for you, right?

Baekhyun looked at him in surprise. „Huh?“

„I know we always laugh at you – and let's be honest, it is kinda funny that you fell head over heels with a guy you only know through hugs – but we can all see how happy you are“, Jongdae said, completely honest for once. „Chanyeol, Kyungsoo and I just talked about it today. You're so full of energy when it comes to him, trying so hard to get to know him. Hell, even Kyungsoo agrees! He still thinks you're an idiot of course, but even he hopes you'll get him in the end.“

Jongdae smiled at Baekhyun, the latter still looking surprised.

„It's nice to see you so full of life. You deserve someone who makes you happy like this!“

At that moment, Baekhyun remembered why he kept his friends after all. They might be annoying, rude and constantly hurt him, but in the end they always support him, no matter what.

Baekhyun smiled. „Thank you, Jongdae.“

-

In the end, the stranger didn't appear, but Baekhyun didn't even mind. Jongdae did a great job distracting him, it felt good to actually spend time with him again (without just yelling at each other all the time, of course).

_'I can still go see him tomorrow'_ , Baekhyun thought when he went to bed. The stranger probably had things to do, no way he could stand there everyday. Right? Baekhyun sighed. He had a strange feeling in his stomach.

The next day his feelings were proven right. The stranger wasn't there again. Not in the morning, not in the afternoon.

Dejectedly, Baekhyun turned around and walked home. He couldn't wait all day for the stranger to appear, as much as he wanted to. As he walked he thought about it. Why did the man suddenly disappear? Would he return tomorrow? What if something happened to him?

The more Baekhyun thought about it, the heavier his heart felt. He had to think positively, the stranger will come back and everything will be okay. Hopefully.

But soon days passed and the man was still missing. Every day, Baekhyun passed by the usual spot and every day, he ended up disappointed. With every passing day his hope vanished a little, dampening his mood.

Questions flooded through his mind. Did he have an accident? Or maybe he got tired of seeing Baekhyun? Maybe his presence really annoyed the stranger but he was too nice to say something?

He shook his head. No, it can't be. The stranger was probably busy, maybe something important came up. Baekhyun thought back to all the times he had met the man. He always greeted him with a smile, always trying his best to make everyone around him happy. 

But...who was there to make him happy? What if he gave out hugs every day because he was lonely?

In that moment, Baekhyun made a decision. He would wait for the stranger, no matter how long it takes. And when he comes back, Baekhyun will give him back all the love and happiness he received – and finally ask for his name.

Baekhyun smiled. He wouldn't lose hope.

-

For the next few weeks, Baekhyun made it a habit to pass by the usual spot whenever he went out. He was getting used to not seeing the man, and even though he missed his free hugs, he stayed optimistic. 

But then one day, as he tiredly walked home with an umbrella tightly clutched in his hand, Baekhyun spotted him.

The stranger, standing in the rain, completely drenched and with a sad expression. The 'free hugs'-sign was leaning against the wall behind him, forgotten. Baekhyun froze on the spot. The man looked so unhappy, his eyes trained on the ground and his posture slouched.

Baekhyun had only ever seen him happy before and the sight broke his heart. But on the other hand he was glad, glad that he didn't give up and decided to wait for the man. It was time for him to let the stranger cry on his shoulder, like he had done to him the first time they met.

Nodding to himself, Baekhyun quickly strode forward, until he was face to face with the man. „Hey“, he whispered, afraid that speaking any louder would startle him.

The man looked up, his expression changing from sad to surprised and - was that a hint of hopefulness he could see in the other's eyes? „You're here“, the man mumbled, sounding almost out of breath. It seemed as if he waited for Baekhyun to come, as if he wanted to see him. Baekhyun's heartbeat quickened and the butterflies started dancing in his stomach again.

„Of course I am. I waited for you“, he replied, suddenly feeling confident.

A small, pleased smile appeared on the man's face. But as quickly as it appeared, it left again, replaced by a deep frown. He sniffled quietly.

„You know, I guess lately I've been having allergies too. Pollen really is the worst“, he said, attempting to smile but it came out wobbly.

Baekhyun laughed. A surge of happiness flooded through him when the stranger joined in, the sweet sound of his voice making Baekhyun feel light. He bent down to grab the sign that still leaned against the wall, putting it around his neck and facing the man with a bright smile. Just like he helped him during his bad times, Baekhyun would make sure to help him get through whatever troubles he had as well. 

„Oh yeah, allergies are nasty. Need a hug to make you feel better?“, he said, a big grin on his face and arms wide open, umbrella dropped to the ground. The stranger had started crying now, tears running down his face, but he was still laughing. Without hesitation he jumped forward and into Baekhyun's arms, wrapping his arms around him tightly.

And for once Baekhyun didn't hesitate either, instantly hugging the man back and giving him all the warmth and love he could offer. He thought about how their roles were reversed now as the man relaxed against him, and Baekhyun hoped he could make the weight drop off of the man's shoulders.

The man deserved to be happy, more than anyone else.

 

-

 

It was sunny the next day when Baekhyun walked to the usual spot, a slight skip in his step. Whenever he thought back to the previous day he couldn't stop himself from smiling. They had stood there for a long time in their embrace, until the man stopped crying.

Baekhyun felt excited when he looked so much happier afterwards and it filled him with satisfaction knowing that he was able to cheer him up. And now that the man was finally back it was time for Baekhyun to take the next step – he felt giddy just thinking about it.

When Baekhyun arrived the man was already standing there, the smile back on his face and the 'free hugs'-sign hanging around his neck again. It made Baekhyun smile wider. Everything was fine again.

„Hi there!“, he greeted the other, who returned his wide smile upon spotting him. 

„There you are! I've been waiting for you.“

Baekhyun raised an eyebrow at him. He waited for him? Why? To thank him? The stranger laughed at the expression on Baekhyun's face, but soon the laughter faded to a fond smile.

„I made a new sign. I want you to see it first.“

The man seemed excited, if not a little anxious too. It was so endearing to Baekhyun and his cheeks were slowly beginning to hurt from smiling so hard.

„That's cool! Please show me, I won't laugh at it“, he said, making the stranger laugh as well.

The latter hesitated a bit, seemingly contemplating if he should really show it, but after a few seconds he reached behind him to get the new sign. He slung it around his neck, slowly looking up at Baekhyun with a shy but hopeful expression.

„So? What do you think?“, he whispered.

Baekhyun's breath hitched. He blinked a few times, making sure his eyes weren't deceiving him. Written on the sign were the words 'free date with your future boyfriend' in big letters, a small 'just for you' added below it. Baekhyun felt his cheeks heat up. Did that really mean...?

„Uh... are you o-“ 

„Yes.“

The man looked at him in surprise. „Huh?“

„Yes, I'll go on a date with you. God, I would've gone on a date with you the first time we met, you're so handsome, I've been trying to gather the courage to ask you for so long, oh my god“, Baekhyun rambled, heart beating a thousand miles per hour.

The man, on the other hand, just stared at him with a hopeful expression. „Really?“, he whispered in disbelief.

„Of course! What do you think why I always came back?“

„Oh.“

After a few seconds a bright smile bloomed on the stranger's face, accompanied by a soft blush.

Baekhyun mirrored his smile, filled with so, so much warmth, his heart soaring. The man reached forward and grabbed his hand, intertwining their fingers. Suddenly, Baekhyun chuckled, remembering something important.

„By the way, what is your name?“

The man laughed.

 

„I'm Yixing.“

**Author's Note:**

> English isn't my first language so please excuse small mistakes! Also I almost made this really angsty but then remembered the prompter didn't want any angst...I hope it's okay like this!!


End file.
